Not Your Moms D-Pad

Modern Warfare 3 vs Battlefield 3.... This Is Gonna Be A Long One.

2011-10-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

So apparently there's these two games coming out called "Modern Warfare 3" and "Battlefield 3". The fact they both have "3's" after their names, implies that there have been at least two previous games of each. Which is surprising, as I've never heard of either of them before. Must have sprung up over night, kinda like walmart, and mc donalds.

Damn near blew up the sarcasm detector with that first bit. That would have sucked, I just made my last payment on it.

The amount of hype around these games over the past year has been ridiculous to say the least.

Never mind the constant jabs back and forth from both Activision and EA. It's gotten to the point, where I can safely say, friendships have been ruined, over which game you prefer. People seem to treat these games, like it's some civil war of fps games.

So what uniform do I wear in this little fight? (And oh how I use the word "Little" lightly.)

Neither, and both.

To me, I could not care less about which game is better than another. For starters, they're two different games. Yet people still hold them up like they're identical twins, and we have to figure out which different moles they have on their bodies.

I don't give a shit which game has better graphics. or. Is more realistic. or. Has the better my little pony reference in it's plot (If there isn't at least ten in each game. I'm gonna be very sad.). All I care about. Is do either of these games look fun to me.

Now if you just said to your self "But isn't what makes something fun, completely subjective, and dependent more on the individual, and not the product it self?", than congratulations. Because you have just grasped something, everyone keeps ignoring. "Which game is better" Is a stupid question. Is just as stupid as asking "Which is the best fruit" or. "Which variation of cyanide has the best after taste". It's an unanswerable question (Especially the cyanide one.).

Until you change it to "Which do you think is the better game". Then it becomes not just a general black and white question. But a questions who's answer is based souly on your own opinion. Meaning. It can't be wrong.

But wait. Doesn't that mean that if you personally think one game is better than the other, than that game is better than the other one?

Well. Yes.

Because ultimately it's you who decides which game you like more. Thus making that the better game for you.

The problem with the general "Which game is better" question. Is that it's completely pointless. It's nothing more than a way for companies to get more hype, which translates into sales, and causes people to get into fights about (Which in turn, gains them more press.).

So to summarize. Which game is better? Modern warfare 3, or. Battlefield 3? You, quite literally, decide.

Also, prevent forest fires.

Now to finally answer my early statement. Which one do I personally prefer?

Both.

That's right. I'm a sucker for modern fps games. As well as world at war story lines. So they both appeal to me.

Holy Bleeping Bleep Batman, is This Song Good.

2011-10-23T05:42:00.000-07:00

The fact they do the Carlton dance alone, would make it godlike really.

If you don't know what the Carlton dance is, then you make me sad. Not because you don't know, but because you're probably to young to know, and that makes me feel very old.

As amazing as this cover is. The fact the shades dude smiles at 1:00 into the video totally ruined the immersion for me /Sarcasm.

I Am One Lazy Ass Panda.

2011-10-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted anything in so long. Partly because I got busy with things, and forgot this blog even existed (My garbage memory didn't help me there =P.). But also partly, because Shortly after my last post I started playing League of Legends, and oh emm gee, is it an addictive little piece of candy. Much like this Halloween candy I'm currently munching on.

Sorry adorable pumpkin child. But I ate your candy, simply so I could have a witty candy reference.

If you haven't played it, or even heard of it (and given how many people play it, I would be impressed if you hadn't at the very least heard of it.). It's a free to play, online 5v5 moba game. (moba = Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) In which your team of 5, try and destroy the opposing team of 5's base. If you ever played Dota, or HoN, and liked them, check it out, you might just like it. Be careful though, because if you're like me. You won't just enjoy the game. It will CONSUME YOUR SOUL!

In the amount of time I've spent playing this game, I could have sat down, and figured out, not only what the fuck was going on in lost..... Ok, that's a completely lie, No one can do that.

If you want to check the game out, go to there website HERE.

It's How I Roll.

2010-11-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this song.

Am I gonna catch flak for liking a Miley Cyrus song? Probably. Do I care? Not even slightly.

It's a good song, and fuck anyone who would chastise someone for liking it just because it's from someone it's cool to hate.

My Piggy Bank Sounds Hungry.

2010-11-20T15:20:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about the cost of games. This kinda started a week or so ago, when I heard that some game exec was talking about selling games for $40. As apposed to the $50+ current standard price in the USA. Now. Here in Canada. New games sell for $60-70, at least, and in Australia it's even worse. They can pay as much as $100 for a new game. So needless to say, this idea of paying $40 for a game piqued my interest.

I've looked into it a bit, and it seems that THQ is taking the initiative in the "not raping your wallet" front. As they plan on selling the new MX vs ATV game for the magical $40 price. Which sounds good, in theory at least. In practice however. They plan on having an in game store, to help with revenue. Which too, sounds good in theory. A store in game to buy some custom stuff that you don't really need, but would be cool to have, and show off is never a bad thing. The problem comes once reality hits however. The main fear I have. Is that they only give you half the game, and have to pay to have the rest of it unlocked. Which is a supreme dick move. That I really would not put passed any company to try.

Selling optional DLC is one thing. But selling people parts of a game they just payed good money for, expecting to get the whole game. Well that's just fucking evil.

Unlike this puppy. Faceless corporations can't rely on their cuteness to make up for their evilness.

So why the high cost of games to begin with? Well. To start with. Most AAA games (That is. Games of modern warfare 2, or halo reach status.) cost a shit ton of money to make. I mean these things can be 2+ million easily. That alone means they need a huge return on their investment. Or the studio could be shut down from losses (This has happened quite a bit in the last year alone. But more on that later.). You have to remember. When the money is spent on development. It's invested money. Meaning people are giving them their money, to try and gain it back with interest, later on. Problem being. If your game doesn't sell well enough to so much as break even. Then the investors are out their original investment, and financial backing for the studio will no doubt dry up quickly. After all. Who wants to invest in a company that just loses your money.

Because of this, it makes sense that companies would hedge their bets, and price their game at a price point that allows them to at least break even, even in the event of poor sales. But is this really the best option?

Ignoring the fact that a games quality and appeal determine sales figures above all else, and development studios them selfs. Have to take charge in putting out good quality games. Why not take a different sales strategy.

Not all games can be Modern Warfare 2's. Selling more copies than there are people in some small countries. If you have a smaller game, why not market it as a smaller game? With a lower price point that's likely to sell based on that alone.

Steam is a good example of this. Look at how often steam has sales. I know tons of people (My self included) who have seen a game on steam for such a cheap price, that even if you are only semi interested in it. Even if it ends up sucking, oh well. You only shelled out 10-20 bucks. Hell, I've lost more than that to my couch over the years.

Om nom nom

I have had countless conversations with people who all say the same thing. "If new games sold for $20, I would so many more games". So why don't they? Is it a high development cost? Worries about financial returns? Lack of virgin sacrifices? Well, that all plays a part in it (Save maybe that last bit). But I don't think those alone make up the full reasoning.

Simple greed plays a major part in it. As well as ego. Think about it. If you were a game developer. Would you want A: To make the best game you can, that stays true to your vision. or. B: Make a game that out sells everything, gets all the press, and makes the most money? Well. Unfortunately most people will go for the second one, and I can't really fault them to much for it. Seeking to gain is human nature. Whether it's power, money, or fame. It's something illustrious. So there's an innate sense that we have to have it. Faulting someone for making game B, would then be literally, spiciest.

It's those rare few that decide to make game A though. Those are the ones who bring us the true innovations to the medium. Games like Braid, Minecraft, The bit trip series. All of these are games made by people just trying to make the game they truly want to make.

I can't even say it's unfortunate that these types of games don't get made by major developers. I mean, half the appeal of these games, are that they were crafted from love. The developers really care about their games, and are willing to put that extra effort in. Do you think Minecraft would be even a tenth as fun and interesting, if it wasn't started by a single guy just making it because he wanted to make it? Hell no.

Apparently gravity is slightly askew in Sweden. Good to know.

The only exception thus far when it comes to major developers. Is valve. (Ironically. Notch, the developer of Minecraft has talked to them about getting help to make the game.) They are notorious for two things. 1: Always delaying their games. and. 2: Always putting out high quality games.

Think about it. Right now. Try and think of a game developed by valve, that legitimately hated. I don't doubt there are people who will find one or two. But most won't be able to. I know I can't. Even though I'm not one of those people who busts a nut anytime half life is mentioned. I certainly don't hate the games.

Above all else, valve keeps their standards high. No matter the cost. They want to deliver the best experience to the gamer that they can. Sure they take forever and a day to make a game. But you know full well from the word go. That game will be worth the wait. Portal 2 is a prime example. It was recently delayed, and while it kind of sucks. I honestly don't mind. Because I know full well. The game will be worth not only every second waited. But every penny spent.

and that right there. Is more than I can say 90% of the games out their.

You Know. I Don't Know Why I'm Surpriced.....

2010-11-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

Valve time! You fickle bitch!

A day after I found out Portal 2 had a release date of February 9, 2011. It was announced today that it will be delayed until April of next year.

Can we be pissed at this news? Fuck no. It's valve for christ sake. Any time they make a game, there's a high probability, it'll be delayed. But you know damn well it'll be worth the wait.

So Much Penis Compensation.

2010-11-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

So I played Call of Duty: Black ops the other day (Finished the single player in one sitting), and realized something. All in all, it's a terrible fucking game.

Now if you've stuck around to read this far, and haven't already gone to grab your pitch fork and torch. Then you'll get to learn why I think this way.

I imagine the call of duty fanboy version of this would look more like a million comic book guys.

To start off with. In all honesty. I could not care less about the multiplayer for any call of duty game. It has never interested me. I've always enjoyed more goal, and/or team based FPS games (Battlefield: Bad Company 2 being my personal favorite at the moment). Where as the call of duty games primarily focusing on run and gun gameplay. Which, even in a Team death match, or capture the flag. Still amounts to nothing but people trying endlessly to gain the most kills.

But what really puts that nail in the proverbial coffin of any modicum of interest in the online for call of duty games. Above all else. Is the community. That's right. The people who play the game, are so bad. I refuse to interact with them. and this isn't just because I think everyone who breathes is out to eat my face (Admit it, you're thinking about my delicious face right now). No. It's because there is nothing more annoying to me. Than anyone who finds it necessary to endlessly spout any and all insults to anyone they can find. Simply to try and prove that they have less of a life than the other person, and are more of a "Leet roxors big pimp daddy" or whatever the fuck those idiots call them selfs now a days. Seriously. If you're one of those people who plays fps games, and runs around saying TO YOUR OWN TEAM MATES "You fucking suck you stupid faggot". Castrate your self now. THE GENE POOL WILL THANK YOU!

NERD SMASH!

To be fair though. You CAN find people like that, in virtually any game. As it's more a problem with society as a whole, than a relatively small cliche. But still. It seems like they all culminate on xbox live, and/or call of duty games.

Alright. Moving on. Lets get to the main. Hell. The only reason I play call of duty games. The single player experience.

Now a key word I used there is "Experience" Not "Single player story" or "single player mode". Because if you're playing a story driven game. You shouldn't JUST be playing a game. You should be enjoying an experience. Something that takes you in, and actually engrosses you into it. Like any good book, movie, play, etc. does. Which call of duty games successfully do. On a consistent basis no less.

(Note: There will be spoilers. So if you haven't played Call of Duty: Black ops, and don't want the story ruined for you. Stop reading now.)

As far as the story goes. It's pretty fucking good. It starts off with you as just another special ops guy. But quickly evolves into a multi national espionage soup of amazingness (Fuck you firefox spell check. Amazingness is too a word. Because I say so damn it.) I guess saying you start off as "Just another special ops guy" makes the beginning sound like it's rather generic, and takes time to really start paying off any. But it really doesn't. Hell, the fucking main menu for the game, is the main character strapped in a chair, looking around a room being tortured for information. So before even hitting the "New game" button, I knew I was in for some amazing shit. and low behold. The game starts off with you and your special ops team, being sent in to cuba during the bay of pigs invasion, to assassinate Fidel Castro. Now I'll admit, I know damn near nothing about history. and don't claim to know the specifics about the bay of pigs invasion, other than it was a major battle between Cuba and the United States, with the goal of overthrowing Castro from power. (Because. Well. He had a running track record of being, kind of a dick.) But making the opening having the opening of your game. Start with you trying to kill an active head of state. Is a pretty ballsy move. Now some people have said that this was in poor taste (Even Castro him self was pissed about it. Big shocker there.). Personally I couldn't care less. It's ballsy yeah. But its not like any of this is real. So what does it matter really? Hell, you could bring back Abe Lincoln and rape him with a 2x4, and I still wouldn't care. I really don't know why you'd do that. But hey, who am I to encroach on artistic creativity.

I was going to add an image here. But I was to scared to type "Abe lincoln" and "rape" into google images.

Now I'm not going to go into deep detail about the entire story. But it goes from, killing Castro, who turns out to be a fake, to being imprisoned for 17 months in a Russian internment camp, to your best friend who you've been assisted by for much of the game, turning out to be a guy who brain washed you in the internment camp, to be a sleeper agent sent to kill the president. All in all. The story is, for the most part, well thought out, and most importantly, entertaining. (The after credits scene implying mason of being Kennedy's assassin was the cherry on the cake for me.)

Now if you're thinking "Wow, he must really have liked the game then" You'd be wrong. Because while the story was great. The actual gameplay it self was absolutely terrible. Mixed with graphic staggering where there should be none. It honestly made me want to stop playing half way through.

What was so bad? Well. For starters the aiming on the guns felt odd for some reason. I know every fps has it's own feeling to it, that you have to get used to. But I never really did get used to it. Granted, that's more my own problem than the game. But it annoyed me just the same. On top of that was the fact enemies not only have x-ray vision, and know where you are at all times. They also apparently have such blind hatred for you. That they will ignore, and blatantly walk passed your team mates. Just to get a couple rounds off at you. And what do your team mates do while the enemy is taking a pleasant stroll passed them to give you a couple extra holes to breath through? NOT A GOD DAMN THING! Seriously. I haven't seen AI this pants on head retarded in a long fucking time. Calling this a "squad based action game" is such a blatant lie, that uttering the words would cause your own fist to careen into your own face. You could easily do the entire game alone. You practically do anyway. Really, all your team mates ever do, is get in the way, or need rescuing. If I was in charge of a squad this incompetent. Our squads mortality rate would fucking sky rocket. Even without seeing battle.

One part that did amuse me. Was later in the game, when you're in a research lab, and there are cages with monkeys and pigs in them. You can go through and kill them. Then later when you come through the same area with a different squad. The same animals you killed, are still dead. Small touch, but I liked it. Plus I fucking hate monkeys. So any excuse to blow the fuckers away is an automatic A grade in my books.

So after finishing the game. I sat their and read some posts on forums about the three main fps games out right now. Black ops, Bad company 2, and Medal of Honor. The general consensus that I found. Was that Black ops was the best thing since you learned to masturbate. Especially compared to Medal of Honor. But you know what? I could not disagree more. Medal of Honor's story was not only as good as the Black ops one (In all honesty I liked Black ops's story a little more. but that might just be the fact that I just finished playing it a few days ago talking.) But the gameplay in Medal of Honor was leaps and bounds above Black ops. Hell, it had the best single player game play I've played in a long time. Even the bad company series, which I love, can't stack up to it. The guns/sound effects, the event sequencing, the AI (not to mention the slide to cover system which was awesome, and should have been added to the fucking multiplayer!) Hell, even the look of the game over all. Just amount to a better experience.

Now don't get me wrong. I didn't 100% love Medal of Honor either. It fell into the same boat as Black ops. Loved the single player. But the multiplayer gave my dick a rash just being near it. (Kinda like Paris Hilton! Ba dum bum pish). That said. Medal of Honor is in a unique situation, of being done in two parts. With the single player being done by Danger Close aka EA LA, and the multiplayer being done by DICE. The main problem with the multiplayer, was that DICE did it. If you've been in Bad company 2 since the beginning, you know the track record DICE have made for them selfs. Little communication with the community. Blatantly lieing to the players (They do this every time they release new modes for existing maps, and have the balls to call it a "Map pack".) and seemingly half assing everything they touch. The Medal of Honor being a prime example of that. They literally built it, by taking the bad company 2 engine, and throwing in some aspects of Modern Warfare 2. It's not even like the game was rushed either. As far as I know. They had ample development time to build something unique. Or just fucking port the single player aspects into it. That alone would have made it at least decent. But no. They put Bad Company 2, and Modern Warfare 2, put them into a mixing glass. Translated the result into computer code, and shipped it.

With the amount of fuck ups DICE have managed in the passed 6 months. I can honestly say, I won't buy anything with their name on it. Save for the next mirrors edge game. I loved the first one enough, to buy the next one regardless.

As far as Medal of Honor is concerned. I genuinely hope Danger Close is given full development rights on it, and EA have the smarts to leave DICE out of it. Because if the next one has both names attached to it. I won't buy it.

And just to round this out. I'll say something about Bad company 2 as well.

THEY'RE ADDING THE OASIS MAP FROM BAD COMPANY 1!!!!!!111 EEEEEEEeeeeeeeee!

WOO, BOOBIES!!!! I mean. OASIS!!!!!

Cartel - Let's Go

2009-08-26T18:32:00.001-07:00

This is pretty much the definition of hyperactive bouncy music.

If I had one. I would win the olympics, all of them.

2009-08-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Well damn. New Crysis 2 video is out. It's nothing more then a visual fap fest for the fans. But it raises the question of just what can the nanosuit 2 do?

Video Games | Crysis 2 | GC 09: Nanosuit 2 Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

(Now for the low low price of: Your first born)

Am I the only one who didn't even know Crysis 2 was being made yet? =P

The PS3 is going on a diet.

2009-08-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Sony came out with some rather curiosity piquing news yesterday at Gamescom (Even if it's a con for games, there'll still be at least one fat guy in a sailor moon outfit). On September 1, a new slim version of the PS3 will be released. This new model will have a 120GB hard drive, standard. And use considerably less power than the old behemoth version. On top of that, it has a new matte finish paint job. So no more pizza grease finger smears all over it (Don't act like you don't have any).

There are some more, minor changes. Such as the fact the power, and eject buttons are now actual buttons. The card reader slots are gone (Wasn't that a selling point of the PS3 originally?). And there are now only 2 USB slots.

So how much will this new PS3 slim cost? Surprisingly, $299.

Video Games | PlayStation 3 | GC 09: PS3 Slim Debut

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

My main quarrel with Sony has been that they refused to even chip away one penny from their very steep price of $500 (Keep in mind, that's only for the console, add one game into that, and you're almost hitting $700 with taxes). Even after Microsoft had brought the price of the 360 down twice, Sony still came out and said that there was no way in hell they were going to cut the price.

I guess they finally realized that just because they're losing money. Simply over pricing their system, and saying "Pay this much because we say so" isn't going to garner and more of a response than "....No".

Bravo Sony. You've quelled one of the two things holding me back from actually purchasing a PS3.

What's the second?

The fact that I can count the amount of exclusive games I want to play on one hand.

Honestly. A console can be a penny. And I still wouldn't buy it if there's nothing on it I want to play. It's the same reason console fan-boy-ism is retarded. The console doesn't matter. Its the games that console can play.

Video Games | PS3 Slim unboxing

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

(My favorite part of that video. Is at the end, the girl in the background just looks at them like "You guys are so not getting laid")

Addendum: Just found out that it isn't backward compatible with PS2 games (Which apparently the newer fat versions aren't either).

It's humorous to note, that the PS2 now has a greater capability compared to its dubious sequel. As well as a much better library of games (But as the PS2 has about 6 years on the PS3, I can't really call that a bullet point.... Yet.).

I Need More Nanobots.

2009-08-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Made an account on www.Myanimelist.net, and I have to say. It is a pain in the ass to try and remember anime you watched over a decade ago.

Was a little god smacked when I realized that I had watched the entire Inuyasha series. Not just because it really isn't that great of a series. But because watching every episode worked out to 62.2 hours spent, and I know I watched a few of those twice -_-.

My account

Well...... It's Pretty.

2009-08-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about Murumasa: The demon blade for going on a year now. But have yet to show any real interest in it, outside of the fact that it's one of the best looking games I've seen.

It was made by Vanillaware (By far the most deliciously named production studio ever.). Who made a shiny little gem called odin sphere a few years back.

(Mmm, vanillaware)

Now when I was watching some videos of it. My eyes were having optical orgasms, but that was about it. While my eyes were exploding with pleasure. The gameplay left me rather unsatisfied. It doesn't look bad, per-se, but it doesn't give me a "First time seeing portal's gameplay" feeling either.

As it is a side scrolling platformer/hack and slash game, monotony is inevitable. You can only do so many combos so many times, before it starts growing stale, like a forgotten loaf of bread.

That said. Had I the chance, I would most probably play this. It doesn't look like some new innovative masterpiece. But at the same time, it does look very entertaining, and pretty, very, very pretty.

Video Games | Muramasa: The Demon Blade | Exclusive Locations Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

(It's unwise to look directly at it. It's beauty is simply to much for your eyes to handle)

New StarCraft II Videos.

2009-08-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

Pretty sure a buddy of mine bust a nut over the first one =P.

Video Games | StarCraft II | BlizzCon 09: Old Rivals Cinematic Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Video Games | StarCraft II | BlizzCon 09: Single-Player Gameplay

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Note: I've heard that first one may in fact be a year old. Though everything I'm finding says 09. So for the simple fact that this blog didn't exist a year ago, I proclaim it to be new.

Whitest. Dance. Ever.

2009-08-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Honestly, who says suburban white kids can't dance?

The best part of this is the end. Where it implies that MC Hammer can still actually afford pants.

Stop..... Darth time?

2009-08-09T05:45:00.000-07:00

I approve of this, SO HARD.

Left 4 Dead 2 Videos

2009-07-28T03:51:00.000-07:00

HUZZAH! New Left 4 Dead 2 videos are out. Showing both new weapons, and a new campaign.

Video Games | Left 4 Dead 2 | SDCC 09: Fuselage Gameplay

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Video Games | Left 4 Dead 2 | SDCC 09: Bayou Cabin Gameplay

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Video Games | Left 4 Dead 2 | SDCC 09: Stay Out Gameplay HD HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Holy shit, grenade launcher?! So pointless as it has huge splash damage and will inevitably leave your team mates seething with rage as they lay on the ground in pieces as you fire wildly while cackling like a mad man. But hell, anything that'll lay that one fucker who shoots the car on purpose, out in one shot, so I can leave him as bait to his own creation, is good in my books.

I don't even know at this point.

2009-07-28T03:49:00.000-07:00

So much randomness in this video. Like, why is everyone so god damn angry?!

The plunger head guy makes this a total gem though =P.

Am I the only one who was reminded of Craig David's 7days video at the begining? I mean with the music, not the random beatings.

I approved this message.

2009-07-28T03:33:00.000-07:00

I approve of small Asian men in tight shorts doing pelvic thrusts while looking through a telescope. Because really, anyone in small shorts doing pelvic thrusts is endlessly entertaining (Hardgay, I'm looking at you). But with a telescope?! Now that's just down right impressive.

P.S. This is by far, my gayest post ever.

Fuck sliced bread I say.

2009-07-28T03:26:00.001-07:00

Holy shit. I didn't realize you could fav youtube videos through the embedded player. I always thought you had to go to the actual URL.

This is the best discovery ever!

Big sister's taking her time.

2009-07-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

Sad news. Bio Shock 2. The sequel to the massively popular game of the same name (Minus the 2), was confirmed to be delayed yesterday.

("come on Mr. B, Angels don't wait for slowpokes" -Bioshock)

Shack news" has reported that Take-Two CEO Ben Feder confirmed it's delay. Saying it would now be released "first half of calendar 2010".

I honestly don't have much to say about this, as I haven't played the first game yet. Every time I've thought about playing it, I get distracted by something shiny, and forget about it completely.

Upsetting, but not unexpected. Sadly.....

2009-07-14T02:12:00.000-07:00

So if you're like me (And many, many others) you're looking forward to the new action-thriller game by Remedy Entertainment. Alan Wake. and have been for quite some time now (Been keeping an eye on this for the past year my self). But too like me don't currently have a 360, and do most of your gaming on the PC, then congratulations, there's now a solid chance you may not be able to play it (YAY!...... Fuck!).

(That right there sums up my interpretation of this announcement)

Remedy Entertainment recently released a statement saying that they are "focusing all our efforts on the 360 version" "Other than that the plans are up in the air and open. Once we get this version done we'll see."

Now don't get me wrong. I understand that games take large sums of both time and effort to make (Alan Wake alone has been in production for 5 years already). But that said, to me this has a much to well known undertone of "PC gamers are nothing but pirates".

This game is getting HUGE buzz right now (Rightfully so in my opinion), and they know full well if they release it for both platforms off the bat, many people with PC's only will download it, as well as some people with PC's and 360's may instead of buying either copy, instead choose to download it on the PC.

From a business stand point I can see why companies are reluctant to release PC ports. But what they fail to realize. Is not only is it possible to pirate games for EVERY SYSTEM OUT THERE! But that a lot of people who do download games, do so to test them out, and once they're convinced they're worth their hard earned money, go out and buy it. I did this my self with both Left 4 Dead, and Team Fortress 2 (Team Fortress 2 I played on a free weekend trial thing steam had on).

Valve are the only company thus far that I have seen, take off their industry provided dunce cap, and think outside the companion cube. Valve's Director of Business Development / Legal Affairs Jason Holtman has stated that they see pirates as "tons of undiscovered customers.". aka, pirates are people who want good games, and pirate them to see if they're worth the money or not, and if they are, they purchase them.

Now obviously not everyone who pirates a game is going to buy it. But that's the same for anything. Someone hands me a free tasty thing on a toothpick at the food store, I'm not going to turn it down, (free things are good, and tasty free things are even better) but I'm not going to go on a pilgrimage to find and purchase this tasty thing on a toothpick either.

Even so, instead of seeing pirates as evil doers that must be vanquished, like some kingdom encroaching dragon. They see them as potential profit. As if to put saddles on all those dragons, and start their own dragon taxi service.

Now most companies will shrug this way of thinking off. Saying that pirates are thiefs and nothing more, taking money from hard working people. Which in and of it self isn't quite right, as people are actually stealing anything, simply copying it. And so long as no one tries to sell the copy they have for profit, I really don't see any problem.

You can't say they're taking sales away from the company, as most of the people who download games, never intended to buy them in the first place. In fact the reverse is true I find. More people download games, then buy them. Then download in place of buying.

If the game companies really need any proof of this concept. Read up a bit. Notice I said I downloaded both Left 4 Dead, and Team Fortress 2, before being convinced to buy them. That's proof of concept right there.

Valve too has taken to making actual good games. Not spending all their development money on frivolous law suits against "pirates/thiefs", then wondering why no one buys their crappy games *Cough*EA*Cough*.

It's funny how people will actually buy games that don't suck a donkeys ass dry.

(I don't know how this went from Alan Wake news, to a rant about PC game piracy, but, here we are)

Tra la la

2009-07-12T01:29:00.000-07:00

Love this song, and the video is not only impressive in that it was independently done, but in depth as well.

Why was I not informed?!?!

2009-07-12T00:58:00.000-07:00

So if you don't know, last year, a document was "leaked" from Bones. It was a list of current projects in production, two of which, were Fullmetal Alchemist 2, and Darker Than Black 2. Bones denied the authenticity of the file, simply saying something along the lines of "We wish it were, because the originals of those two series, were fan-fucking-tastic".

Cut to six months later, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is confirmed to be in production. Which means the leaked document was more then likely legit, but bones still refused to make me stain my pantaloons by confirming that Darker Than Black, was to getting a sequel.

Cut to a half hour ago, I find out that they in fact recently confirmed that there is a Darker Than Black sequel in the works (Ruining a perfectly good pair of pants in the process.). Titled Darker Than Black: Ryūsei no Gemini (Darker Thank Black: Gemini of the Meteor).

(An artist interpretation of what I was thinking when I heard)

Nothing is currently known about the series (aka I haven't heard anything, so I assume by pure narcissism alone, that no one else knows anything either), other than the picture from Young Gangan Magazine Picture.

So it's about Hei and some loli with a huge ass rifle? Awwwwesome

Back, and sexier then ever.

2009-07-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

Been gone for a while, reason? My computer decided to no longer live. I didn't know that inanimate computers could be whiny little emo wrist sliters, but here we are (Wow, did I really just say that? 0_o).

Point being, I'll be posting again now that I have a new computer. And be playing a lot more games, since this one can play anything I can throw at it =D.

Yay!......?

2009-06-13T19:51:00.001-07:00

I Think I'm excited about this.

Mirrors edge 2 was officially announced yesterday. I loved the first game, -ish.

(Just imagine a big 2 on there somewhere)

The gameplay and innovative mechanics were fantastic. But some parts went from broad side of a barn easy, to out drinking an Irish-man hard, in about 2 seconds flat. On top of that, the story wasn't very fulfilling, and didn't even really end. The levels overall, while offering multiple ways to complete them, were still heavily linear, and closed in, and in a parkour game, the last thing you want is linear and closed in.

That said. I'm taking the optimist position this time. And am hoping they'll do what valve did with left 4 dead 2. Take every complaint/idea I ever had, and implement them into the second game.

Blue Bird - Ikimono Gakari

2009-06-13T01:44:00.000-07:00

Love this song too.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Ending 1

2009-06-13T01:30:00.000-07:00

Love this song.

This is all gonna end in tears.

2009-06-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my last post. There's a new DS rpg out called Knights In The Knightmare.

But it isn't "just another" RTSRPG, oh no. When they were working on the design for it, they thought it would be a good idea to stick RTSRPG and Shoot'em up in a box and see what unholy love child spawns from their loins.

(Sure it looks cute. But don't be fooled, this fucker bites.)

You play the game in similar fashion to any other RTSRPG. You move your troops on a grid, the enemy moves theirs, and the villagers rejoice. The twist is, you use the stylus to control your troops (Which, honestly. When you say "Stylus controls" on anything, I usually cringe. But not this time. Huzzah!) Thing is, your stylus marker, is you. That's right, you your self are participating in the battles, whilst not only trying to control your troops, but avoid enemy fire as well. Yeah, remember when I said "Shoot'em up", I wasn't kidding =P (Think, ikaruga, meets Final fantasy tactics.).

This trailer will explain it best.

Video Games | Knights in the Nightmare | Preview

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

(My arm is getting ready to throw my DS just thinking about this)

Now you may be wondering why am I going to play this, if the gameplay looks like something that is garented to piss me off?

Well. Because A: It's a beautiful fucking game, no question there. And B: Because I feel like trying something different. And this definitely qualifies.

Well. It DOES have "Endless" in the title.....

2009-06-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

So recently I've been playing Super Robot Taisen Original Generation Saga: Endless Frontier

(aka. The game with the most pointlessly long name ever.)

I originally started it to tide me over until some of the other games I wanted to play came out. Problem is, it's one of those rare breeds of hand held RPG, that actually has a fulfilling, drawn out story, and I expected it to be, 12-14 hours of gameplay, max. Well, it's been about three weeks since I started playing, and am now coming up on 30 hours. Pretty sure I'm near the end. But god damn, this game just never ends.

I'm gonna try to finish it this weekend (Probably tomorrow). After that I'll post a full review of it. And like this game, it's sure to involve large amounts of giggling.

Really want to hurry up and finish this game, so I can move on to not only Knights of the nightmare But now Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled has been released as well.

The list of games I have to play is starting to add up -_-;.

DLC (Downloadable Content) Good or Bad?

2009-02-09T05:02:00.000-08:00

So if you've been living under that oh so referenced proverbial "Rock", then you'll be god smacked by this latest craze known as "DLC" or "Downloadable Content".

It's a simple premise. Rather then companies simply making a game and leaving it at that, with the help of the internet (Something not so new to all you rock dwellers, as even rocks now a days won't be caught dead without at least a 3mb/s direct DSL connection.) they can now further develop and release more content after the games initial release. Which initially seems like a far better idea than the the old method of simply re releasing the same game 50 times, only this time with an added dungeon, and a few new character costumes (I'm looking at you star ocean 3). "Initially" however is the keyword in that sentence. Yes more content for games is a good thing. The little squiggly line in this equation (God I hate math) comes when companies start charging whole game prices for the DLC.

A fine example of this is for the new Prince of percia remake (Terrible game, but I won't get into what are good and bad games, as that's really nothing more than personal taste/opinion. Which I suppose could be flipped around and be applied to my entire blog, but, you know, shut up.). The game ends in a fashion that depends solely on the DLC. That is to say, the game ends on a cliffhanger, apparently to leave the actual ending to be later explained in the DLC that is to come. Now that ALONE is a complete dick move, as it all but forces people to get the DLC to get that last bit of fulfillment from the story. And quite frankly, if I pay 60 hard earned bucks for a fucking game. I'd like that game to have a stand alone GOD DAMN ENDING!

But this is where they really take the piss (If you don't know what that means. Watch 5 seconds of anything with Gordon Ramsey in it).

While DLC cost' usually range from 10-30 bucks. But the very fact that the game ended in a simple "To be continued" style, only to essentially pop up with a message of "Lets milk this cash cow for all she's worth!" (Not that remaking a popular game that's only 6 years old can really be deemed anything more then cash cow teat sucking at its finest) leads me to believe many small animals were punched after gamers were faced with this fun fact (Congratulation EA. You single handedly got little fluffy the kitten its first black eye, I hope you're happy). That's like paying 20 grand for a car, and then getting handed the keys, and told you have to pay an "Added fee" of 3 grand to get the actual car. EA are smart to do their customer screw job over the net, as I'm sure that car salesman would received a swift key punch to the throat.

Now I'm not saying that charging for DLC is a bad thing. But when you end games without an actual ending, and then tell people to pay up to find out what happens. Then at that point I think it's alright to stand up off your couch and say "No, no I will not pay more money for something I already paid for, fuck you EA".

Now I MAY have you thinking that I don't like DLC. But in fact I think it's fantastic. Releasing more content for good games is never a bad thing. But like everything else, more often then not, people just end up fucking it up.

Valve however, is the cool fonzie of the group, not afraid to stand out and show people that punching something will make it fix it (Good thing to know the next time your computer craps out. Just give it a swift HYOOKEN!, and it'll be purr-in like a kitten.). Valve not only offer free DLC to all valve games through their steam service. But their DLC isn't a continuation of a game, so much as, spiffy add ons that aren't required to enjoy the game in its entirety. Just some fancy neon and gold chains to really pimp the shit out of it.

The mirrors edge DLC is a prime example of this. Disregarding the fact that mirrors edge' ending was left open for the two new games to flesh out (Which I've complained about in a previous post). Which would put it on a similar leaking boat as Prince of persia. But mirrors edge actually gets a pale to bale their boat with. While Prince of persia is left to use its hands. For the lone fact that mirrors edge' DLC is simply optional time trial maps. Now that doesn't abstain mirrors edge from the blasphemy of not putting a full story into the box before they ship it. But at least they knew full well that the story would continue on into two new games. Where as Prince of persia just went "Sure, why not" buttered up some DLC continuation.

Now I realize I somewhat contradicted my self here by bashing prince of persia, and praising mirrors edge, for doing pretty much the same damn thing. But quite frankly, mirrors edge gets an extra point by the very fact that it at least tried something new, where as Prince of persia was simply a rehash of a rehash. So while they both committed the same video game sins of having no follow through. Mirrors edge was the charming cute girl, while Prince of persia was the awkward goth chick who cuts her self. And at the end of the day, I'd rather date a cute, charming girl. Over the one who scares me. Although with all of mirrors edge' other faults, even with the cute girl, you'll probably still wake up with a rash.

So in the end. DLC = Good. If not used as a method to whore games for every penny you can find.

~ lycao out

Mirrors Edge Review

2009-01-05T10:28:00.000-08:00

Not even a week in to the new year, and I have already discovered this years biggest disappointment (Such a quaint way of opening a game review yeah?).

(Yes it came out in 08, but I didn't play it until January. So shut up)

I recently rented mirrors edge (Actually my buddy rented it, and we played it through together. But whatever.), and as it was my most anticipated game of 08, needless to say I was looking forward to finally getting to play it (Yes it's been out for a while on the ps3 and 360, but as I don't have either of those, and the PC version got pushed back (Thanks EA), I had no way of delving into its warm parkour goodness). But soon after inserting the disk, my hopes were dashed, like winning ten grand on a lottery ticket, then turning it over and realizing that all the people pointing and laughing at you haven't collectively lost their mind, but are in fact laughing at your idiocy in thinking that life decided to stop hating you for the day, and allowed you to win something.

The first 15-20 minutes were a saucy mix of orgasmic pleasure, and devising the existence of the universe while juggling flaming bowling balls and water skiing frustration. The game is beautiful, no question. Even the cut scenes (Which I've heard many complaints about), fit just fine in my opinion. They do their job of breaking from the intensity (Or annoyance in most cases) of police trying to perforate you with hot lead anytime you so much as try to take a piss. But the controls are the first trip over the long line of game play hurdles.

Who ever decided the left shoulder button (Keep in mind this is the 360 version. So the PC and PS3 versions will no doubt be different) should be the jump button, should be punched in the god damn throat. So as they either die a slow death, or survive. Either way, learning the valuable lesson to never to make stupid game design decisions ever again. What's worse still, is that the left trigger button is the button you use to roll, and drop from a ledge. And switching from the two, while trying to control where you're going on the joy stick becomes what can only be described as a "Complete cluster fuck" when you're running you life, while getting shot at from the a fucking helicopter. Yeah, a god damn helicopter shoots at you. A LOT!

Another throat jabbing control fuck up. Is a tie in to what I just said. The roll button, is the same as the drop from the ledge button. This may not sound like a big deal. Until you realize that much of the game is jumping from high places, and just making it to the edge of the next roof top. And if you don't want to take any damage you have to roll. But oh no no. If you landed one millimeter back, and hit the ledge, when you quickly hit the roll button (Still running from a god damn helicopter I might add) expecting to make a stylish action roll to safety, and go on to later brag about your action rolling skills to all the ladies (Which totally works by the way). You instead hit the ledge, and as there's a delay in the animation from, landing to hanging on for your life, you may be hanging with out even knowing it. So what happens when you hit that styling action roll button? That's right, you fall to your fucking death without even knowing you were hanging in the first place.

Fault number two in this hurdle race to rage induced aneurysm town. Comes from our old friend, out of place game mechanics, which comes to us this time in the form of combat.

Nothing breaks flow more in this game, then having to stop, fight, die, and re do the same annoying fight 50 times before you hit that right button arcade mortal combat-esc configuration to magically squeak your way through getting shot at by about a dozen swat officers with sniper aim from across the map even when using shotguns ('cuz that makes perfect sense). The guy who ate a bad taco can seem to hit everything but the toilet he's aiming at, but you guys can hit me from 500 feet away. Sorry Mr. logical physics, you have no place here. (Sorry to anyone who was eating chili while reading that, or anything with nuts really)

That said. You know that old prince of persia adage "When in doubt, wall run"? Well this game adopts its own variation. "When in combat, slide kick" Less you will get your shit rocked. After discovering this magical move that can best even the top shotgun sniper dickheads out there. So long as they aren't being their dickish self's, and killing you from a football field away, while snickering, sipping tea and saying "Quite" a lot.

The other half of the combat system they implemented for no god damn reason in and of it self. Is gun play. Why the fuck, are guns even in this game?! Yes I understand that faith is essentially fighting a war, and anything goes. But for that matter. Why the fuck are the cops even firing every bullet they have at you to begin with? The game starts with you delivering a package and using your parkour skills to traverse the city, which is some of the most game based fun I've had in years. But then the cops pop up out of now where, and before even checking to see if you're a wee little orphan who wandered in looking for some scraps of food. They unload their entire clips in your direction. But they never once actually explain WHY their desire to see you dead is so strong. I can't tell if the police are trying to kill faith because she did something actually deserving of a bullet induced death. Or because they really hate orphans, you decide. And while this can be slightly brushed off when you realize that the game is in fact going to be 3 games, and they'll no doubt explain it down the line. But given there was no solid plan for any sequels when it was initially made. This is what they intended to leave us with.

I can't decide if this is a plus for EA in that they foresaw that people would collectively go "....The hell?" and decided to continue the story to appease the fans. or. In a more EA like fashion. Decided to half ass a potentially ground breaking game, and give that over used EA brand middle finger to anyone who actually buys their game.

If you're saying "But this game IS ground breaking". I agree with you, -ish. It is ground breaking in many ways. Hell, damn near the entire game is ground breaking in its own ways. But as every ground breaking aspect is flawed to the point of the ground breakingness being drowned out by the pure shittieness of its lumped mass of flaws. They only get partial credit at best.

In the end. This game was a colossal disappointment for me. The very thing that made it seem fun (The freeness of being able to do fast paced parkour without having to risk the skin on my ass by doing it my self) was thrown out in the first fucking level. And they just kept packing on the annoying bits, to the point where I honestly didn't even want to finish it (At that point, my buddy took over and kept us rolling). I'm very glad I rented it, and didn't buy it for the PC as I had originally planned to do. Because I really couldn't bring my self to pay full retail for this game. It just isn't good enough. And as there isn't any real replay value (Save time trials. Woo....), if you're still on the fence as to whether buy, or rent this game. I would say, 100% rent. Granted, the DLC coming for it looks entertaining to no end. But the day I buy a full retail game for the download able content. Is the day I eat my own ass.

~ lycao out

How Can I Improve My Drawing, Backgrounds, etc.

2008-09-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Two words. "practice" and "study".

The problem doesn't come with knowing what to do. As it is with knowing just how to go about doing it. Everyone and their mother can tell you to "practice more", but if you don't know how to practice. Then you're pooched from the start. So just how do you go about properly studying/practicing? Well. How people learn varies from person to person. Hence why common day school fail so often. Not everyone learns the same way. So take this with a grain of salt. A common way for damn near everyone to improve, is by simply drawing/painting what you see. For instance. If you're drawing someone sitting up against a tree. But can't get the composition, angle, proportion, etc. right. Then simply go online (or outside), and find an image of someone doing just that. Then simply draw what you see. This will engrave it in your head as to how to do it in the future. Remember, when you draw something from imagination. All you're brain is doing is compiling all the images its seen of that (or a similar) situation. and than displaying them for you to copy from memory. So you literally can't draw something, without referencing it in some form or another. Even if you don't think you referenced it, you did, and just didn't notice.

That said. Never (and I do mean never) listen to people who say "real artists don't use references. They can draw perfect from the start with nothing but their mind and and a sharp stick, blah blah blah". Now while I'm not sure why you would need a sharp stick, I can guarantee these people are talking out of their ass. As it makes them feel big making it seem like they never do the very thing they rag on others for doing. When in fact they do, and are full of complete shit. Everyone starts with the basics, and progresses from their. Anyone who says other wise, is either lying. or. Struggling with progression like a baby in a bear fight (Is it just me, or does that seem like something you'll see on fox in the near future?).

When it comes to improving painting skills (real or digital). Honestly, I struggle with this my self. Its more or less the same thing as improving your drawing skills. It just requires a lot more attention to detail (shadows, lighting, colour theory. etc) compared to basic drawing. As far as getting the proper techniques and things like that. The two best ways I can think of, are A: Just dive in, and do it by trial and error. or B: Watch videos via youtube or other sites that show you how to do it, and simply follow along.

The key thing to remember in all of this. Is don't get discouraged by something not coming out exactly how you wanted it to. Just take it as a lesson to help improve. Study where you went wrong, and where you went right. Then apply what you've learned to your next drawing. I fully believe the hardest thing any artist will ever have to learn, is how not to be so hard on them self's for something not coming out perfect. As Chuck Jones, creator of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner said, "every artist has at least 1000 bad drawings inside them". So for every one that goes tits up. Just take that as one step closer to that gleaming light of perfection.

~lycao

Fan Subbers vs Anime Companies.

2008-09-01T23:42:00.000-07:00

After noticing episode 20 of nabari no ou was taking an ungodly amount of time to come out. I decided to look into just why that is. That's when i came across this> http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-08-11/3-titles-fansubs-pulled-on-behalf-of-japan-d-rights Which literally made me go "well its good to see that whole product over profit thing isn't taking root. People may not be getting raped up the ass with a fucking cactus for their last penny if it were", and we can't have that. There's absolutely only one reason for them to to do this. M-O-N-E-Y.

Now I can see where their coming from with their saying "fansubbing hurts the Japanese companies". As the saying goes, if you can get the milk for free, why buy the milk production facility, .....I mean cow. But where their argument egins to to rust and chip away. Is that about 90% of the people watching a series online, aren't going to pay for it regardless of whether they can get it for free or not. Why? Partially because they don't have 50+ dollars to spend on 14 episodes of a 26+ episode series. But mostly because they have no way of finding out about them in the first place. Normally you hear about a series either online from fanboys/girls going on and on about. or. From your friends who are watching it, and won't stop pestering you about it until you check out how hot the brooding dark character is. So if that goes out the window, and the only way you can check them out is by throwing down half a paycheck just to find out if you like the series or not. Then the anime industry literally falls on its face. And what if you do spend all that money on a series and end up not liking it after the first few episodes? Well take solace in knowing you at least had the chance to see the series. While others will never have the chance to not like it, and start using the dvd's as drink coaster. Seriously, they keep going after fan subbers, saying that they're taking money from the industry, and hurting the business (otherwise known as the same bullshit reasons the music, movie, tv industries have been using for years to try and use as a scape goat. Rather than admit that the financial effect of illegal downloads is minimal, so long as what their selling isn't shit to begin with, and thus, doesn't sell well regardless.). But without those same fansubbers, everywhere outside of the great anime state of japan, have absolutely no exposure to anime. Other than the couple series American cartoon networks get their rocks off by butchering. But I'm hesitant to even call that "anime" once their finished with it (I'm looking at you 4kids tv).

This seems more like a way to lessen the fan base (and possible future fan base) of the series then anything else. Even if you're running on the "it takes money away blah blah blah" angle. At least if the subbers are subbing. That 90% who won't buy it anyway, can tell the other 10% about it, and thus, get the series more sales. Hell, you'd think they'd be happy with having 10% more sales. But in taking the "If I can't have it my way, I'm taking my ball and I'm going home" angle instead. If that whole 100% isn't blindly buying their product, just because they say so, then nuts to everyone. No one gets to play.

No matter how I look at this. It comes across as nothing more than a giant middle finger to the fans who were helping drive these series' popularity outside japan. As if to say "Whats that? You want to watch? Tough. If you really wanted to watch. You'd live in japan already".

~lycao out

Getting Your Manga/Comic Published.

2008-09-01T23:40:00.000-07:00

Best advice I've seen thus far for someone outside of japan to publish a manga has come from mark crilley. He does tutorial/advice videos on youtube about manga, and how he started doing manga.

1: For starters, don't expect it to happen anytime soon. I'm not talking for one or two years. Realistically, it probably won't happen, and you have to be prepared for that. Even if it does happen, it more then likely won't happen for at least 5-10 years (Unless you get insanely lucky). It takes years of trial and error before most people even get their stuff looked at, never mind published.

2: Work hard, and don't stop. Given how saturated the art field is with exceptional talent (especially the manga/comic scene over the past ten years), you have to prove that you're ready to work your fingers to the bone to reach your goal. No one is going to want to publish a series done by someone who's heart isn't in it.

2.5: (Tied into #2) Never stop trying new things, and studying different forms of art. This will ensure that your art work has a different feel to it then others, and thus, will stand out from the pack so to speak.

3: When you're finally ready to look for a publisher for your work, go to smaller publishers and don't even bother with the big ones. Big publishers like tokyopop, viz, etc. get literally hundreds of entries a month looking to get published. If you go to a smaller publisher that only gets 2-3 manga/comic proposals a month, which one do you think is going to give you better odds of getting published? (If you just thought "well mine is better then anything else out there, and will get picked up my a big company as soon as I send it in" You're wrong. It may sound harsh, but its true. In the art world, there will always be 50,000 people who are considered "better" than you. So it's your job to be more unique, bring something to the table they haven't seen, and regardless of whether someone else is "better". They'll pick you over them every time.)

4: Set realistic goals. Don't set your self up by saying "I'm going to be the next naruto, death note, etc. Within a year". Because that will just end in tears. A more realistic goal is something like "I'll get a one shot 30 page manga/comic published within the next 5 years". Once you've done that you can start making your goals more and more ambitious.

5: Make sure you're ready for what will be required of you. As most professional manga/comic artists will tell you, with the ability to get your work published, comes a loss of sleep, free time, and money. Going from "amateur" to "professional" is where the hobby artists are separated from the serious ones. As the hobby artists will back out the second their fun loving hobby becomes their job, and begins to suck up all their time and offers very little money for compensation. Professionals however, will keep doing it in spite of this as this is what they love to do, and regardless of the hardships. Don't want to be doing anything but art as their 9 to 5. That being said. It's common misconception that a "professional" artist is naturally better then a "hobby artists". The only difference between the two is a pay check. They both love what they do. One just does it as their job, while the other would rather not have what they love to do, become work. This by no means, means that one is more skilled then the other by title alone.

6: Make sure you consider everything seriously, and decide which group you fall into. Hobby artist, or aspiring professional. If its the latter, then the advice is there. Just make sure never to forget why you wanted to become a professional in the first place. Everyone questions their choices from time to time. So long as you never loose sight of why you're doing it, you'll never be at a loss for inspiration to carry on when you fall on hard times. If you fall into the former category, then just carry on enjoying art for what it is. Fun. And don't worry about getting published, or taking it overly serious.

~lycao out

-----------------------
Mark Crilley's youtube page> http://www.youtube.com/user/markcrilley

My Artistic Insight Into Artists. Part 1: Making Money Through Art.

2008-08-30T03:37:00.000-07:00

The number one question I've seen asked lately by the herding masses, is "how can I make money through my art?". Well now it's time to take this question from both sides (ooo, kinky *wink*). Why it can be a good thing, and why it can be a horrible one that you'll look back on years later while sobbing into a bottle of jack daniels.

Now I know what you're thinking, "but lycao, you athosian sex god (point for the stargate reference), how can making money from something you love to do
possibly be a bad thing?!". Well if you'd stop thinking so much and keep reading, I'll tell you (everyone hit "off" on your brain switch, until further notice).

I really don't understand why so many people are hell bent on making a few scraps of money off their art work. I mean sure it's nice to have some extra spending cash in your pocket, and lord knows you need it these days with costs of everything rising faster then the phoenix after being cut down, as if to say "Fuck you, I can't be killed, so just go away and stop trying". But in the end, its not like you'll make very much from it. Lets face it, regardless of how good you are, in the art world there's always about 50,000 people more
experienced, and thus, will inevitably get the job over you. But hey, that's how it works when you have millions of people all fighting over the few scraps of jobs there are out there, like ally cats fighting over a mouse that made a very poor life choice and decided those furry giants didn't look all THAT threatening.

To be fair, I can't really say it's a "horrible idea". I mean, if you love to do it, and the fact that your fun loving hobby has now become the thing that you depend upon for every crumb of cheese in your fridge, then good on you. In most cases however it's nothing more then a very bad idea spawned from that part of some artists brain that says "hey, if they can make a living from this, why can't I?", then do an about-face, take a right down "this will all end in tears avenue" and start selling nothing but half assed fan art then wonder why they aren't swimming in a solid gold pool filled with more gold. Realistically, selling fan art tends to do far more harm then good. While it does succeed in giving the artist some exposure to what working with/through your art is like. At the same time, it instills a false truth that they can simply rest on their laurels and have no need to study or further advance in their chosen field, as they're already making money, and since they already posses the skills necessary to begin pouring the foundation for that gold pool, there's no need to bother trying anything
different.

Now I've kinda dragged my self into a sticky situation. Not unlike when I went to use a tube of super glue with a loose lid, and shortly there after found my self trying to part my palms with my feet. On the one hand, if you truly love doing art as a job, and thrive on deadlines and wages that more often then not are the equivalent to being paid in bits of string (yes, most art based jobs don't pay all that well), then seeking out employment in your chosen field is a fantastic idea and I truly hope you succeed. On the other hand, if you simply want to do art as a hobby, and make some extra money on the side through selling fan art, original art work or even just a couple things here and there to friends and family or something like that, then you too have my full support (slightly making my
previous few paragraphs seem like nothing more than long winded pointless rants. Yay hypocrisy!). On the other other hand (I'm assuming you're an octopus at this point) if you're one of those people who simply do art as a means to potentially make money, then I'd suggest you stop now, as your lack of legitimate interest in the art form will prove to be nothing more than a waste of time.

Personally, I don't want what I love to do to get to a point where how good my next drawing is, will determine whether or not I get to eat tomorrow. That being said, I do personally sell prints of my artwork (Yay hypocrisy 2.0). But I fall into that second category of people who want to do it as a hobby, and make some video game money on the side (I'd say gas money, but hell, you could sell that golden pool with the gold still in it, and you STILL would only get
half a tank for it).

In the end, making money from art, or making art your job aren't truly bad ideas. That all depends on your intentions/goals for it. If you have a legitimate interest in art, and money is just a by product of that, then great. But if you couldn't care less about art, and are simply trying to join the "making small amounts of money from art" club, then stop now, or you'll quickly find your self in a harsh reality known as the "art world". Where everyone is a fickle prick, and if you don't take it seriously and put genuine emotion into your work, they'll throw you out faster then the sober Irish guy in the bar on st. Patricks day.

P.S. I'm not trying to perpetuate the stereotype that drunk Irish people enjoy a good sober toss now and again. I'm perpetuating the stereo type that there's no such thing as a sober Irishmen on st. Patricks day.